Armed Farming: New Reality in Nigeria's Terror-Ravaged North

News in brief:

-Armed escorts now protect farmers in northern Nigeria as insecurity forces a new form of armed farming.

-While initiatives like the Agro Rangers aim to keep displaced farmers safe, rising violence and limited coverage continue to threaten food production and livelihoods across the region.

Armed men now accompany farmers to the fields and stand guard while they work in Nigeria’s northern regions. A recent BBC report shared firsthand accounts from local food producers on the frontlines of insecurity.

Known as Agro Rangers, these armed units, part of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were created specifically to protect farmers. First proposed in 2024, the federal government has since deployed thousands of them, marking a new and unsettling reality for many Nigerians.

Many of these farmers are internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their homes due to insurgent attacks. To address the resulting food crisis in refugee-concentrated regions, the government has established special farming schemes for displaced communities. In 2024, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) supplied 28 tons of seeds to such farmers. According to government statements, the goal is to cultivate 10,000 hectares of land, benefiting roughly 1,000 households across 500 hectares of active farmland.

Farming Under Guard and Fear

In Borno State, where the threat of terrorism remains high, the military designates secure farmland surrounded by trenches. Farmers are transported by bus each morning and returned home after work.

For many, this is a grim existence. “There is fear — we fear for our souls,” a 50-year-old farmer told the international news outlet. The fear is not unfounded. Another farmer explained that venturing out without security is too dangerous, as kidnappings and killings occur frequently when ransoms go unpaid.

With over 4 million displaced people recorded in 2024, the government is pushing for sustainable reintegration efforts. Borno’s governor supports the initiative, describing it as “gradual but effective.”

“We have not encountered terrorists attacking farmers because they know we are fully on the ground during the farming season,” said Mohammed Hassan Agalama, commander of the Agro Rangers in Borno.

However, the scheme’s reach remains limited, unable to cover the vast farmlands of the region. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) contradicts official optimism, reporting that farmer fatalities have risen to their highest levels in five years.

In many areas without armed protection, farms lie abandoned, and even ripe fields are left unharvested, as fear keeps farmers away.